Finding ways to monetize your music can feel like an uphill battle. Unless you have a large fanbase, it can be next to impossible to make a living off of streaming platforms alone. Thankfully, there are several ways you can monetize your music, even as a small artist.
Below, we’ll share how you can successfully monetize your music at any stage in your artist journey.
Can Anyone Monetize Music?
The creator economy has opened the floodgates for music monetization for all artists. You don’t have to wait on a record deal to make a full-time or part-time living from your art. As discussed below, there are plenty of ways you can monetize your art outside of royalties from the music itself.
However, there are a couple of factors that all successful artists tend to have in common. If you’re going to turn your passion into profit, you’ll have to commit to the following first:
- Creating A Strong Brand Identity: All artists, big and small, are built off of their branding. You’ll need to invest time and energy into creating a cohesive brand identity and presence as an artist if you want to turn it into a full time affair. This means creating a space for yourself on social media, optimizing your social profiles, and considering how your visual representation ties in with your music.
- Time Investment: Where you can’t invest money, you often have to make up with time. Any artist will have to set aside unpaid time to build an online presence, create art, and interact with fans.
- Community Cultivation: Music monetization always comes back to cultivating a strong community. You’re eligible to turn your passion into profit if you’ve put in the work to develop a dedicated (not to be confused with large) fanbase.
What Is A Koji?
A Koji is a type of interactive media that can help you sell your products, downloads, services or premium content. To create a Koji, simply select a template and customize before sharing the unique URL on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, or anywhere else!
7 Ways To Make Money From Music
Traditional methods aside, there are several ways to start making money off of your music. Consider these strategies to help turn a profit from your projects:
1. Extend A Hand
Many times, musicians miss out on patronage simply because they don’t ask. You shouldn’t feel bad about asking fans for their help – you’re providing meaningful art, which your top fans are happy to support.
You can easily allow fans to send in tips via Love Jar on social media. For musicians who want to give something back, try out Tip Jar+. This Koji allows you to give out free or discounted goodies to any fan who sends in support. As the saying goes, ask and you shall receive!
2. Sell Your Skills
You can use your skills to help other small artists and fans create works they’re proud of. The Sell A Service Koji lets you list, price, and fulfill any music service you want to provide on social media. Here are a couple of service ideas that you may be able to list and sell on your profile:
- Production & beat-making — offer custom production work for vocalists
- Mixing — accept multi-tracks from around the world and send back final mixes
- Rap Features — sell 8 bars, 16 bars, dj intros and more
- Overdubs — offer to lay down guitar, drums, or any other instrumental tracks for others to add to their productions
- Remixing
- Vocal Demos — offer to record lead vocals or background arrangements for songwriter demos
- Sound-alikes — charge to re-make popular songs for synch opportunities or for producers to avoid sample licensing
- Arrangements — sell string quartet, big band, piano vocal, or any type of arrangement
- Remote recording — allow artists to book ‘Audio Movers’ sessions
- 1-1 Consulting — offer to help coach musicians in any of your areas of expertise
- Marketing assistance: sell custom marketing plans for single and album launches
- Editing: offer to clean up raw vocals or other recorded tracks
- Mastering: sell individual mastering passes or full album services
3. Monetize Unused Audio
Do you have a demo track you haven’t released? An exclusive remix or alternate version of your song you want to share with your fans? You can turn these ideas into profit with the Locked Audio Koji. This Koji turns your social profiles into an audio storefront where fans can unlock exclusive audio behind a paywall. Any of the following would be perfect for your audio storefront:
- Share live versions of tracks
- Remixes
- Beats and Instrumentals
- Sound FX
- Samples and Loop packs
- Acapella vocals
- DJ tags
- Original demos
- Unreleased tracks
- Meditation tracks
- Multi-tracks or stems
- ‘Behind The Music’ type album or single narration
4. Sell Your Merch
Selling merchandise has always been a lifeline for musicians. Whether you’re crafting band t-shirts, physical records, or stickers, merchandise provides value for fans while helping you support yourself. You can easily turn your social profiles into a merch storefront with Orca or Shopify.
5. Create Personalized Fan Videos
Creating personalized videos for your fans can be a great way to build your community while turning a profit from your art. With the Shoutout Koji, fans are able to request a personalized video from you for celebrations or just because behind a paywall.
You can also create as many different types of fan videos as you want to cater to your audience’s varying needs. Fan videos can be celebratory shoutouts, behind the scenes tours, live covers, or anything else you can think of.
6. Monetize Virtual Experiences
Your fans want to get to know you. You can utilize virtual experiences to help your fans connect with you on a deeper level while bringing in monetary support. Kojis like Ask Me Anything w/Boost allow your fans to submit a question and boost with a tip. You can also use Kojis like Dare U and Dare Me to connect with your fans and earn money by completing fan-submitted dares.
7. Repurpose Past Content
Finally, you can repurpose content you’ve already created through Kojis like Boost It. The Boost It Koji allows you to monetize live streams or pre-captured content through your social profiles, inviting fans to support your craft without creating additional work for artists.
Any of the following are monetizable through the Boost It interface:
- Virtual album, EP, or single release listening party
- Listening through auditions for a curated playlist
- Live DJ set
- Livestream of hanging out in the green room
- Behind the scenes of a cover art shoot or photoshoot
- Chatting with fans
- Music videos
- Recorded livestreams
- Behind the scenes footage
- Spotify Canvas clips
Making money from your music isn’t a simple task by any means, but with monetizable Kojis, it’s a lot easier than you may think. Enjoy connecting with your audience through these unique fan experiences!